Women at entrance--San Francisco 1956

This black and white photograph was taken in San Francisco by Robert Frank. The composition is bisected by a doorway; to the right stands a woman dressed in black, her face bearing a look that could launch a thousand ships. Maybe she’s a socialite tired of galas, a mother worried about her kids, or a shoplifter who’s been caught red-handed, who knows? I sympathize with Frank trying to capture it all. On the left, another woman in furs is partially visible through the glass. The reflections muddy any clear view, which creates a sense of unease or being caught in-between worlds. Frank's work is all about this kind of ambiguity, finding drama in everyday scenes. Much like painting, it is a subjective language that speaks through light, shadow, and composition. Photography and painting are really just different dialects of the same language.